Saturn AL-41
The NPO Saturn AL-41F is a Russian variable-bypass ratio turbofan engine, designed for supercruise flight. It is considered by Jane's as the Russian counterpart to the General Electric YF120 engine which lost to the more conventional fixed-bypass YF-119 in the ATF engine competition.
Design and development
The Al-41F program was launched in 1985, and the first prototype engine flew in a Tu-16 Badger testbed in 1990. Originally developed for the Mikoyan Project 1.44, the engine was built around the geometry of the AL-31F, making it compatible with existing airframes, including the Sukhoi Su-27 series. The engine is reported to have recently entered low rate initial production for use in the Su-34 Fullback.
Variants
A heavily-upgraded version of the Al-31F is being developed for the Su-35BM prototype and possibly to power the early flights of PAK-FA. This engine has been named the AL-41F1A. It is important to note that the AL-41F1A is not considered a part of the same AL-41 line as was planned for the Mikoyan Project 1.44 because it uses the core of the AL-31F, whereas the AL-41F utilizes an entirely new core. The designation appears to be present because the engine approaches the projected specifications of the new AL-41F class. It is also notable that the engine is capable of mounting 3D thrust vectoring nozzles for extra manoeuvrability.
Specifications (AL-41)
General characteristics
- Type: Turbofan
- Length:
- Diameter:
- Dry weight:
Components
Performance
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